Joy Formidable Prove That Emo Noise Can Be Epic

• The Joy Formidable - The Big Roar (Canvasblack/Atlantic) [thejoyformidable.com]



The Big Roar -
Order the import here

• Female lead vocals (except for one track), winding lyrics, plenty of layered guitars, impressive drumming and emotive synths. Flirts with shoegaze but tries hard to never be dull. It's the opposite of dull.
• Formed in '07 from members of Sidecar Kisses. This is apparently their second full-length album.
• If noise pop has a loud, British emo-punk side, this might just be it. And this time I mean that in a really good way. I'm super impressed. I even love the cover art.
• At fifty minutes, a very long album, but worth the time. The opening track is nearly eight minutes long, but it never gets boring, not once. "Epic" seems to be what they're aiming for.
• Unfortunately, this is an import for those of us in the States until March 15th, when it will finally be released here. I think it will be worth the wait unless you can manage to find it somewhere.
• Looks like you can buy the MP3s at their own site here, assuming they take American dollars. Looks like you have to "join" their Web site, though.
• This rockin' trio from North Wales is touring Europe from now into March, and then they're coming to the States for the whole of April. They'll be at The Basement in Columbus on April 4th.

This live recording actually gives a very good sense of how this record sounds. In a word: Damn.

The Joy Formidable - "A Heavy Abacus" (First You Have to Get Mad live album; recorded at the London Garage, 9/30/2009)